I found this female* Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus Erectus) during my beach walk this morning. Relatively poor swimmers, this specialized species of fish is usually attached to seagrass or soft coral.

However, the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico was recently churned up by passing storms, so the sand was littered with detritus. Sadly, this girl was one of the casualties.

Thankfully, this species has a wide distribution, from Nova Scotia to Brazil, so one local disturbance shouldn’t negatively impact the population. Well-camouflaged, predation is not a major worry (also they are quite bony and therefore, not a favored food). The main threats to the species are bottom trawling, seagrass bed destruction, and usage in Chinese medicine.

My walk coincided with slack water so the serene gulf belied the previous tumult…

*Male seahorses have a brood pouch which extends past the lower dorsal fin.

My neighbors have a heavily-laden Star Fruit (Averrhoa carambola) tree. Luckily for me, they generously giveaway the extras on a little table out by the curb. As you know, I’m not one to pass up something for free, especially when it’s so delicious!

If you haven’t tried one yet, I highly recommend doing so (if you can find them – perhaps look at an Asian market). The unripe fruit still has a greenish tint to it and makes an excellent garnish for cocktails or entrees (though it will be quite tart and lemony). Fully ripened, the fruit has the texture of a juicy pear (yes, you eat the skin) and tastes like a cross between a banana and a mild apple.

Unfortunately, the Carambola resembles a banana in that it has a relatively short shelf life, once brown spots appear on the fruit it becomes a flavorless mass of goo.

I did just find a couple Star Fruit recipes that sound delightful. Since their tree still has loads of fruit they’ll be worth a try, I’ll keep you posted.

Two years ago this month the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) became the official bird of St. Petersburg, Florida. The action was long overdue, since the large avian had been used as a mascot for the city for close to 100 years.

I am fortunate to be able to watch their aerial stunts year-round from my favorite perch at nearby John’s Pass (the channel between the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay).

I see their larger cousins, American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) less often as they are true snowbirds, spending their winters on our balmy barrier islands before returning north in the Spring.

The adult males are especially eye-catching this time of year as breeding season begins. I need to take my camera out and try to get some good shots of them, until then this older photo I took in California will suffice.

Without fail, every time I see them I think of this limerick:

A wonderful bird is the pelican,

His bill will hold more than his belican,

He can take in his beak,

Enough food for a week,

But I’m damned if I see how the helican!

Dixon Lanier Merritt

I grew up in the Sonoran Desert surrounded by the fragrant puffballs of the Sweet Acacia (Vachellia farnesiana). Not only do bees and butterflies love the flowers but birds favor the thorny, tangled branches for nesting, and lots of animals dine on the seed pods.

As you can imagine, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this small tree is native here as well. The one I planted in my yard this past spring just started blooming and while not as showy as some of the other plants around here, it certainly makes me smile.

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) is a unique member of the morning glory family in that it blooms at night. The white flowers are about 5 inches across and they almost seem to glow in the moonlight. That large size combined with their appealing aroma helps attract nocturnal pollinators.

Native to Florida the vine also sports showy, heart-shaped leaves. I’d love to have one in my yard but I don’t have anywhere for it to grow, they need support and can reach 40′ in length. The flower I photographed was on a vine that was at least that long since it had grown up and over a telephone pole. What a beaut!

Discovered this chunk of green alga on my beach a couple weeks back. Its diminutive size and odd shapes warranted a photo, if only so I could identify it. That process took longer than it should have but, as usual, I learned something new.

Meet the Sea Grape (Caulerpa racemosa), an edible seaweed that favors shallow seas around the world. In some areas it is considered invasive, though this is the first time I’ve encountered it around here.

Since they are nutrient rich I suppose we should all eat up!